INK CARTRIDGE HOLDER

Abstract

An ink cartridge holder includes: a peripheral wall portion which allows ink cartridges to be inserted thereinto and withdrawn therefrom through an opening formed at one of opposite ends thereof; a partition wall portion which is formed integrally with the peripheral wall portion and is positioned in a position distant from the opening, the partition wall portion interconnecting two portions of the peripheral wall portion that are opposed to each other, and partitioning an inner space of the peripheral wall portion into sections whose number corresponds to the number of the ink cartridges; and an extension wall portion which extends continuously from the partition wall portion along one of the two opposed portions of the peripheral wall portion toward the opening, and which is formed integrally with the partition wall portion and the peripheral wall portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and optional objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagonal view showing a Multi Function Device (MFD) as an ink recording apparatus which has an ink cartridge holding device and an ink cartridge holder as an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of the MFD schematically showing an inner constitution thereof;

FIG. 3 is a view of the MFD schematically showing an inner constitution of a scanner section thereof;

FIG. 4 is a view of the MFD schematically showing an inner constitution of a printer section thereof;

FIG. 5 is a diagonal view of a refill unit of the MFD as the ink cartridge holding device;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an opening-closing lid and the refill unit of the MFD;

FIG. 7A is a view schematically showing a shape of a partition wall as one of various examples which is applicable to the ink cartridge holder;

FIG. 7B is a view showing a shape of the partition wall as another one of various examples;

FIG. 7C is a view showing a converted shape of the partition wall as another one of various examples;

FIG. 7D is a view showing a converted shape of the partition wall as another one of various examples;

FIG. 7E is a view showing a shape of the partition wall as another one of various examples;

FIG. 7F is a view showing a shape of the partition wall as another one of various examples;

FIG. 8 is a front view of a case of the refill unit as the ink cartridge holder;

FIG. 9A is a cross-sectional view taken along a line IXA-IXA indicated in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional view taken along a line IXB-IXB indicated in FIG. 5;

FIG. 10 is a side view of a body of the refill unit;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the body of the refill unit;

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view showing a door unit of the refill unit;

FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view showing the door member of the refill unit;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line XIV-XIV indicated in FIG. 5;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a the door unit;

FIG. 16 is a view schematically showing a movement of a locking member and a release lever of the refill unit;

FIG. 17A is a view schematically showing a movement of the locking member and the release lever of the refill unit;

FIG. 17B is a view schematically showing a movement of the locking member and the release lever of the refill unit;

FIG. 17C is a view schematically showing a movement of the locking member and the release lever of the refill unit;

FIG. 17D is a view schematically showing a movement of the locking member and the release lever of the refill unit;

FIG. 18A is a diagonal view of a converted release lever of the refill unit as an example;

FIG. 18B is a view schematically showing a movement of the locking member and the converted release lever of the refill unit;

FIG. 19 is a side view of an ink cartridge;

FIG. 20 is a diagonal view of the ink cartridge;

FIG. 21A is a view showing a structure for fitting a lower portion of the ink cartridge and a lower portion of the case to each other; and

FIG. 21B is a view showing a structure for fitting the ink cartridge and a pair of drawer portions to each other.

Claims

1. An ink cartridge holder for holding a plurality of ink cartridges, comprising: a peripheral wall portion which allows the plurality of ink cartridges to be inserted thereinto and withdrawn therefrom through an opening formed at one of opposite ends thereof; andat least one partition wall portion each of which is formed integrally with the peripheral wall portion and is positioned in a position distant from the opening, the at least one partition wall portion interconnecting two portions of the peripheral wall portion that are opposed to each other, and partitioning an inner space of the peripheral wall portion into a plurality of sections whose number corresponds to a number of the plurality of ink cartridges; andat least one extension wall portion each of which extends continuously from a corresponding one of the at least one partition wall portion along one of the two opposed portions of the peripheral wall portion toward the opening, and each of which is formed integrally with the corresponding one of the at least one partition wall portion and the peripheral wall portion.

2. The ink cartridge holder according to claim 1, further comprising an end wall portion which is formed integrally with the peripheral wall portion at the other of the opposite ends of the peripheral wall portion that is opposite to said one of the opposite ends at which the opening is formed, wherein each of the at least one partition wall portion reaches the end wall portion and is integrally formed therewith.

3. The ink cartridge holder according to claim 1, wherein each of the at least one extension wall portion has a width thereof that is reduced in a direction toward the opening, the width being measured in a direction in which the two opposed portions of the peripheral wall portion are opposed to each other.

4. The ink cartridge holder according to claim 3, wherein the width of each of the at least one extension wall portion as measured at a distal end thereof is “zero”.

5. The ink cartridge holder according to claim 3, wherein each of the at least one extension wall portion has a distal end thereof that reaches the opening.

6. The ink cartridge holder according to claim 1, wherein each of the at least one partition wall portion has a thickness that is reduced in a direction toward the opening.

7. The ink cartridge holder according to claim 6, wherein each of the at least one extension wall portion extends from a corresponding one of the at least one partition wall portion toward the opening, and a thickness that is reduced in a direction away from a proximal end thereof toward a distal end thereof, and wherein the corresponding one of the at least one partition wall portion has a thickness that is equal to the thickness of each of the at least one extension wall portion as measured in the proximal end.

8. The ink cartridge holder according to claim 1, further comprising at least one second extension wall portion each of which extends continuously from a corresponding one of the at least one partition wall portion along the other of the two opposed portions of the peripheral wall portion toward the opening, and each of which is formed integrally with the corresponding one of the at least one partition wall portion and the peripheral wall portion.

9. The ink cartridge holder according to claim 8, further comprising an end wall portion which is formed integrally with the peripheral wall portion at the other of the opposite ends of the peripheral wall portion that is opposite to said one of the opposite ends at which the opening is formed, wherein each of the at least one partition wall portion reaches the end wall portion and is integrally formed therewith.

10. The ink cartridge holder according to claim 8, wherein each of the at least one second extension wall portion has a width thereof that is reduced in a direction toward the opening, the width being measured in a direction in which the two opposed portions of the peripheral wall portion are opposed to each other.

11. The ink cartridge holder according to claim 10, wherein the width of each of the at least one second extension wall portion as measured at a distal end thereof is “zero”.

12. The ink cartridge holder according to claim 10, wherein each of the at least one second extension wall portion has a distal end thereof that reaches the opening.

13. The ink cartridge holder according to claim 8, wherein each of the at least one partition wall portion has a thickness that is reduced in a direction toward the opening.

14. The ink cartridge holder according to claim 13, wherein each of the at least one second extension wall portion extends from a corresponding one of the at least one partition wall portion toward the opening, and a thickness that is reduced in a direction away from a proximal end thereof toward a distal end thereof, and wherein the corresponding one of the at least one partition wall portion has a thickness that is equal to the thickness of each of the at least one second extension wall portion as measured in the proximal end.